Chapter 227: The Descent of Taiyi Xuanpin

Zhao Cheng nodded. “Indeed. I was once ordered to venture into another fragmentary world as well. In that world, whose laws of heaven and earth were completely different from ours, I struggled on for an entire hundred years. Unfortunately, despite enduring countless hardships and dangers, I never found any laws capable of completing the Great Qian Great Dao. In the end, I could only return empty-handed.”

He paused, his voice becoming somewhat hoarse.

“There were dozens of extraordinarily gifted individuals who accompanied me back then. Yet in the end, fewer than one in ten managed to return alive.”

After saying this, an irrepressible gloom swept across Zhao Cheng’s face.

Li Shun’s heart tightened as he listened.

He had experienced the exploration of the Martial Dao world himself, so he naturally understood just how dangerous it was to explore a completely new and unknown world.

“However, even if the road ahead is littered with corpses, this effort to mend the heavens before disaster strikes is an ironclad law that Great Qian must continue from generation to generation. We must guard against the Outer Gods lurking in the shadows.”

Zhao Cheng’s tone suddenly became as firm as iron, his words carrying tremendous weight.

“This is not merely for the survival of our generation. It is also to protect the descendants of Great Qian. Otherwise, if the Zhoutian Grand Formation were to fail one day, the countless living beings of our world would suddenly be exposed to the scrutiny of the Outer Gods. By then... when the nest is overturned, how could any eggs remain intact? I fear we would not even possess the slightest power to resist.”

“Outer Gods...” Li Shun quietly savored those two words.

Judging from the various measures Great Qian’s imperial court had taken today, everyone throughout the court and the common world who knew of this forbidden existence treated the subject with extreme caution and dread.

Such deep-rooted fear and importance would be difficult to explain unless some catastrophic disaster had truly occurred in history, one that had caused tangible destruction on a world-shattering scale.

As countless thoughts flashed through his mind, Li Shun immediately stepped forward and lowered his voice.

“Martial Uncle, could it be... that ever since the founding of Great Qian, a terrifying calamity involving the manifestation and descent of an Outer God has truly occurred in this world?”

“I’m not referring to what happened today, where only an envoy of an Outer God caused trouble. I mean... the projection of the Outer God’s true form!”

The air inside the quiet room seemed to freeze in an instant.

Zhao Cheng remained silent for a long time.

So long that Li Shun began to think he would not answer.

Only then did Zhao Cheng finally nod heavily.

“That indescribable deity... was the first Outer God Great Qian had ever encountered. And to this day, it remains the only instance of one truly descending into our world.”

“It was precisely because of that catastrophe, in which a million corpses were left strewn across the land, that the imperial court established the [Heaven-Mending Bureau] and initiated all the various measures that followed.”

“This god was named...”

“[Taiyi Xuanpin].”

“In the year 261 of the New Calendar, Taiyi was born in Bing Province.”

“Heaven and earth fell into darkness, and the sun and moon lost their light. The entire sky over Bing Province turned blood-red. Hundreds of millions of ordinary people became fanatical believers of Taiyi amid the god’s whispers. Their flesh twisted, their limbs mutated, transforming into indescribable creatures crawling across the land. Not the slightest trace of humanity remained!”

“Only after the entire province had completely fallen and become a living hell did the imperial court finally awaken from its stupor and realize that disaster had struck. They immediately mobilized an army of a million soldiers to launch a campaign against it. At the same time, they joined forces with the supreme experts of the Hundred Schools, who brought out every hidden foundation they possessed, forming a grand formation to slay the god!”

Zhao Cheng slowly recounted this horrifying episode of history, seemingly still shaken by the memory.

“That projection of Taiyi Xuanpin was so powerful that it could not be measured by common sense.”

“All seven Creation Realm experts who went to war perished. At the critical moment, His Majesty himself arrived and erased the divine projection.”

“However, after that, His Majesty gradually secluded himself within the palace, leaving the affairs of the imperial court to the Left and Right Chancellors.”

“Although Taiyi Xuanpin perished, the influence it brought has still not been completely repaired even after several centuries. You have stayed in Bing Province before. What did you think of the place?”

Li Shun thought for a moment.

“Vast land with few people. Miles upon miles of desolation, with little vitality remaining.”

Zhao Cheng gave a bitter laugh.

“Do you know that two hundred years ago, Bing Province was one of the most prosperous and wealthy regions among Great Qian’s thirteen provinces?”

“When Taiyi was born, countless lives were devastated. An entire province nearly perished, and the casualties were so severe that they were impossible to estimate. Even though the imperial court has spent the past several centuries continuously relocating prisoners and conscript laborers there to forcibly replenish the population, Bing Province has never recovered its former prosperity.”

“The impact of Taiyi’s descent was simply too great. That is why, ever since then, officials throughout the imperial court have turned pale at the mere mention of the Outer Gods.”

“To prevent history from repeating itself, Great Qian spared no effort in seeking a foolproof means of resisting the Outer Gods.”

“Whether it is exploring the primordial illusions or traveling to other worlds to mend the heavens... all of it stems from that bloody lesson paid for with countless lives.”

After Zhao Cheng finished speaking, he seemed unable to shake off the weight of that tragic history.

Seeing Li Shun remain silent, seemingly stunned by what he had heard, Zhao Cheng could not help but offer a few words of warning.

“When I first learned these secrets, I was just as shocked and terrified.”

“However, over the years, I have come to understand one thing. The Outer Gods are indeed watching us like hungry wolves, a sword hanging above our heads that we cannot afford to ignore. But are all the problems plaguing Great Qian truly caused by the Outer Gods?”

“The Hundred Schools fight and scheme against one another in court for their own interests. His Majesty has locked himself away deep within the imperial palace and has not attended to state affairs for years...”

“Tell me, is the harm caused by any of these things truly even a fraction less than the threat posed by the Outer Gods?”

Li Shun found this difficult to understand.

“If we know that the Outer Gods are such terrifying existences, shouldn’t the Hundred Schools unite and face them together?”

Zhao Cheng sighed.

“And therein lies the paradox. If we publicize the existence of the Outer Gods until every commoner knows about them, then the countless thoughts and beliefs of all living beings throughout Great Qian will inevitably increase the probability of an Outer God invading our world.”

“But if, for the sake of safety, we desperately conceal and erase every trace of the Outer Gods’ existence...”

“Time is precisely the thing most capable of smoothing away even the deepest wounds.”

“More than two hundred years have passed without another Outer God manifesting. By now, there are already people in the imperial court who have forgotten the pain once their wounds healed, casting aside the blood and tears of that era.”

“Not to mention that power has changed hands countless times over these two centuries. Most of the officials currently occupying positions of authority have never personally experienced the world-destroying catastrophe brought about by Taiyi Xuanpin.”

“Hearsay can never inspire quite the same degree of reverence.”

“From this perspective, the manifestation of the Outer God’s power during this gathering of the Hundred Schools may not necessarily be a bad thing after all.”

Zhao Cheng shook his head somewhat self-mockingly.

Then, as though he had remembered something, he continued.

“Although you have already passed the test, this matter involves an Outer God after all.”

“You still cannot leave this estate for the time being. You must wait until everything has been properly dealt with before your freedom can be restored.”

“What are you planning to do next?”

Li Shun hurriedly cupped his fists.

“I shall follow whatever arrangements my elders make.”

Zhao Cheng pondered for a moment before speaking solemnly.

“Three branches of Confucianism attended the gathering, and you are the only one who survived.”

“Right now, the other schools must desperately hope that something happens to you, preferably something related to the power of the Outer God. That would give them an opportunity to attack our Confucian school.”

“At a time when you are standing directly in the center of this storm, I recommend that you remain at the Kong Family for the time being and avoid the turmoil.”

“Once matters gradually settle down, I will take you to the Sacred Capital.”

Li Shun was slightly stunned.

“The Sacred Capital?”

“Indeed!”

Zhao Cheng heavily patted Li Shun on the shoulder, his eyes filled with expectation and solemn promise.

“Not only did you successfully survive this treacherous and unpredictable gathering of the Hundred Schools, you also gained an earth-shattering insight from Mount Buzhou. Your identity and status are naturally worlds apart from what they were before!”

“In the past, we did not provide you with particularly abundant cultivation resources. But once you go to the Sacred Capital this time, our Confucian school will devote all its strength to nurturing you.”

“Whatever opportunities and foundations you deserve, not a single bit will be lacking!”